JP Farms reports wipeout of banana and plantain fields
ST MARY, Jamaica —JP Farms has reported significant damage to its St Mary farms following the powerful winds associated with the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
The Pan Jamaica Group subsidiary, in a media statement on Wednesday, said its initial assessments reveal that the powerful Category 5 storm with wind speeds up to 185 mph inflicted comprehensive damage, resulting in an estimated close to 100 per cent loss across banana and plantain farms.
This marks the second consecutive year that the 90-year-old farming operation has been impacted by a major weather system.
The company said though St Mary ultimately escaped a direct hit from the hurricane, the prolonged high winds from the outer bands of the system flattened crops that were still in recovery following the impact of Hurricane Beryl in 2024.
Pan Jamaica Group has since confirmed its immediate plan to inject the necessary capital for the recovery of the farms. This commitment follows a $250 million investment made by the Group in 2024 to restart production and return the business to profitability after Hurricane Beryl.
“Pan Jamaica’s investment in JP Farms is driven by a long-term commitment to Jamaica’s agricultural industry and the parish of St Mary,” affirmed Jeffrey Hall, vice chairman and CEO of Pan Jamaica Group. “The social return of ensuring the stability and livelihood for over 200 families in the parish while providing Jamaicans with locally grown fresh produce, for us, helps to justify the inherent challenges that come with operating in the agricultural sector in Jamaica.”
JP Farms has also committed to maintaining employment and benefits for its team members during the low production recovery period.
“We did find somewhat of a silver lining,” shared Mario Figueroa, general manager of JP Farms. “An experimental plot of a more wind-resistant banana plant variety that we were testing in partnership with the Bodles Agriculture Research Station sustained noticeably less structural damage than the rest of the banana farm. While still affected, this confirms that we are on the right track toward adopting more robust varieties.”
